Yellowknife (Sep 24/04) - This year's Northern Arts and Cultural Centre's season opener will be unlike any other. That's because tonight is the kick-off for NACC's 20th anniversary season.

The concert at 8 p.m. features Enter the Haggis, Street Noise, The Gumboots and fiddlers from Strings Across the Sky. There is also a silent auction, which gets underway at 6 p.m.

But patrons are encouraged to arrive at Sir John Franklin high school early to take a stroll down memory lane in NACC's lobby. Theatre aficionados have put together an exhibit of the history of the centre, depicting all aspects of the performing arts.

Yellowknifer columnist Marty Brown helped put the retrospective together.

"I was probably the first volunteer," she said. Twenty years ago she was helping out at the NACC box office, selling tickets for the first subscription series.

"I've sold tickets, I've been on the stage, I've been backstage, and I've sat in the seats at NACC," she said.

"I can't imagine Yellowknife without it."

The fact that 20 years have passed since NACC's gala opening in May 1984 amazes many in Yellowknife's arts community.

"It's been a whirlwind," said Christopher Foreman. "It's exciting to see the continued growth and interest in performing arts in my hometown."

Ben Nind, NACC's current executive director, said Yellowknifers should stop putting the emphasis on the word Northern in NACC and instead focus on its role as a hub for the performing arts.

"I think we all need to remember the word 'centre' in arts and cultural centre," said Nind. "That's the potential of NACC."

The quest for NACC began in 1980 when the editor and publisher of The Globe and Mail visited Yellowknife. Then-mayor Mike Ballantyne mentioned to them that theatre groups were looking to find a permanent performing arts space.

This conveniently coincided with The Globe and Mail's push to become a national newspaper, so the paper offered free advertising for a national fundraising campaign to build Yellowknife a performing arts centre.

Since it would be cheaper to renovate Sir John Franklin high school's old gym than to build a free standing centre, the goal was set at $1.25 million.

The government of Canada donated $300,000, while $100,000 came from the R. Howard Webster Foundation. Another $125,000 came from an anonymous donor. Seven of the 10 provinces wrote cheques.

In Yellowknife, residents were encouraged to buy a seat in the still-to-be-constructed theatre for $500 each. Albert Eggenberger bought one for each member of his family, for a total donation of $4,000. The original design called for the roof of the gym to be raised in order to ensure good acoustics and sightlines. A second storey to house a rehearsal space, green room, costume storage room, kitchen and a musician's gallery opening onto the auditorium was also planned. Neither improvement was built due to lack of funds.

The opening weekend began with a gala on May 18, 1984, hosted by broadcaster Peter Gzowski, with performers such as Ofra Harnoy, Carroll Baker, Royal Canadian Air Farce, Famous People Players, Baker Lake throatsingers, the Delta dancers and the Dene drummers.